GB2167032A - Transfer devices - Google Patents

Abstract

A transfer device comprising a base 10 having a superstructure with two portions 11, 12 between which a slot is defined, each such portion 11, 12 containing a respective belt 15, 16 or other drive element e.g. two parallel series of rollers, items to be transferred being gripped between these belts 15, 16 and being moved from one end of the device to the other. It is possible to rotate the items and to carry out other operations, such as printing, during passage of the items through the device. The distance between the belts may be adjustable. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Transfer devices This invention relates to transfer devices for transferring items, for example, from one conveyor to another or for removal from a conveyor or placing on a conveyor. The transfer device is thus capable of taking items fed to it in any convenient way from one point and of delivering them to another point. Such a transfer device may can-y out an operation on, or modify the items, as they pass through it but it may simply be used to transfer the items from one point to another without any such operation or modification.

Items which may be transferred by the device may be, for example, food or beverage packages, bottles or other containers or machined components or any one of a number of different types of articles, in which all the items being transferred are identical or similar in certain significant respects and which are, in use, passed through the device in succession.

It is the object of this invention to provide a transfer device which is capable of efficient use in handling a variety of types of item and is therefore versatile in its application to various different industries.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a transfer device comprising a base, a su perstructure on the base, the superstructure having two portions defining an elongated transfer slot between them, the two portions of the superstructure containing respective drive elements capable, between them, of gripping items to be transferred whereby when said drive elements are actuated, the items are transferred from an entry end of the transfer slot to a delivery end thereof.

The drive elements are preferably belts which are mounted on pulleys with axes parallel to the vertical sides of the slot, the belts each having a run which forms part of a wall of the superstructure portion bounding the slot, whereby items are driven along the transfer slot by frictional contact with said belt runs.

Alternatively, the drive elements comprise a series of rollers which are arranged with their axes parallel and in line lengthwise of the slot, whereby items are driven along the transfer slot by frictional contact with the rollers. All or most of the rollers are conveniently driven.

Conveniently, the two superstructure portions are adjustable towards and away from one another to vary the width of the slot.

The speeds of the drive elements may be varied to enable items entering at one end to be accelerated or slowed down, as between entry speed and delivery speed. This speed variation may be achieved by varying the ratio of a drive motor to the belt pulleys, or rollers.

The drive elements may be actuated in the same direction or in opposite directions at the same or different speeds. By this means it may be possible to transfer items without change in relationship between entry and delivery or to transfer items while changing their orientation. For example, where cylidrical or other round section items are transferred, these may be rotated through predetermined angles during transfer from the entry end to the delivery end.

An operation may be carried out on the items as they pass in succession through the device. For example, printing on to the items may be carried out.

Printing by ink or by means of a laser may be performed.

There may be a further drive unit including one or a pair of drive elements arranged ahead of the inlet end of the device, to lead items to said inlet end. This further drive unit may be placed at an angle to the length of the slot so as to receive items from a conveyor offset from the plane of the slot. A similar further drive unit may be positioned at the delivery end of the device.

These further drive units may be driven from the transfer unit.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a transfer device constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the device; Figure 3 is a plan view of the device showing its use in association with conveyors; Figure 4 is a plan view of the device used in a different mode and also showing its use in association with conveyers; Figure 5 is a plan view of the device showing additional drive units at opposite ends and indicating the use in conjunction with a continuous conveyor:: Figure 6 is a plan view of the device showing alternative use of additional drive units with offset conveyers; Figure 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view of the device; Figure 8 is a longitudinal cross-section view; Figure 9 is a plan view; Figure 10 is a sectional view on the line 10-10 in Figure 8; Figure 11 is a fragmentary cross-section view on the line 11-11 in FigureS; Figure 12 is a fragmentary cross-section view on the line 12-12 in Figure 8; Figure 13 is a cross-sectional side view of an alternative form of the device; Figure 14 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure 5; Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of part of the device shown in Figure 14, and Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of a further part of the device shown in Figure 14.

Figures 1 and 2 show in outline the device which comprises a base 10 and a superstructure comprising two elongated portions 11 and 12. The base is a cabinet with at least one opening door to allow access to the interior. The cabinet has a plinth which has feet as seen in Figure 7 or, alternatively, castors, as seen in Figure 13, to enable the device to be easily moved from place to place. Figure 7 shows one form of foot 13 which is adjustable for height. Figure 13 shows that there can be two pairs of castors 96, 97, at the front and rear respectively which are additional to the feet 13 shown in Figure 7. An angled upper face 14 of the cabinet comprises a control panel to which further reference will be made.

The two portions 11, 12 forming the superstructure on the base are each of elongated generally rectangular form and each is longer than the base so as to extend out at each end beyond the confines of the base, as seen in Figure 1.

The superstructure portions 11, 12 contain belts indicated at 15, 16 in Figure 3 running over pulleys to which further reference will be made. The pulleys have vertical axes and one run of each belt extends into the slot 17 which is defined between the two superstructure portions 11,12. In the construction shown in Figure 3, the two belts 15, 16 are intended to run in the same direction as indicated by the arrows. Items entering at the entry end 18 of the slot are gripped by and carried along by the belts 15, 16 and are released at the discharge end 19 of the slot 17. It is possible by means of the transfer device, to transfer items from one end to the other and from an input conveyor indicated at 21, the items may reach the transfer device in succession and they may leave from a delivery conveyor 22 at the discharge end.

By means of the device, it may be possible to speed up or slow down the items as between their speed of arrival and discharge. This is achieved by driving the belts 15, 16 at a speed slower than or faster than the speeds of the belts 21, 22. Other forms of input and delivery devices may replace the belt type conveyors 21, 22 illustrated. The overhang of the ends of the portions 11, 12 of the superstructure enables such input and delivery conveyors to be adequately accommodated so that there is no risk of the items falling between the end of the conveyor and the device. There should be sufficient overlap to enable the items to be gripped by the belts 15, 16 before they reach the end of the input conveyor or the corresponding end of the delivery conveyor 22.

Speed change which may be carried out by the transfer device, may be achieved by changing the ratios of the drive system for the belts 15, 16 or by means of the use of a variable speed motor drive or by combinations of these expedients.

It is possible to adjust the superstructure portions 11, 12 towards and away from one another so as to accommodate items of different size.

Items of any size and shape can be accommodated, though some modification of the belts or their positions may be necessary for certain types of items.

Figure 4 shows the device modified to drive the belt 16 in the opposite direction to the belt 15. The ratio of the drive mechanism is so calculated that the belt 15 will travel slightly faster than the belt 16. The effect on items introduced at the inlet end 18 will be to rotate them through vertical axes while at the same time transferring them from the inlet end to the outlet end. This is principally applicable to articles having cylindrical or other circular section. By this means it is therefore possible to change the orientation of the items as they pass through the transfer device. Items which may have been treated before entering the device may thus be reorientated so as to present a new face for treatment at another station beyond the end of the transfer device.

It is possible to print onto the items as they pass through the device. This may be achieved by an ink printing unit or by a laser printer unit. Where the items are transferred through the unit without change in orientation, printing may occur at the same point on each of the items, but where printing is needed on a cylindrical or other curved or shaped surface of each item, the reorientation may be carried out during the printing process. By this means, it is possible to print onto the whole or a part of a surface of a bottle or other container as it passes through the device.

Where a printer is used, this may be housed within the cabinet formed by the base 10. The printing may be carried out in timed sequence with the supply of items and mechanism may be provided to ensure that the items follow at pre-determined intervals through the transfer device so that the same portion of each item is printed at a printing station, intermediate the ends of the slot. In ink printing, the ink will be applied through a mask and this may involve contact with the items but it is preferable that a form of printing should be used where no actual contact between the mask and the items is necessary. Appropriate controls may be mounted on the device to regulate the printing and positioning according to requirements. Provision is made for printing on a variety of different items and using various printing systems.

One alternative already referred to is laser printing in which a beam is aimed at an appropriate position on the item to produce marks which are formed into the words or images required. Colour change in laser printing may be achieved by double laser beam shots. In one example, two beams are aimed to reach the item in quick succession.

The speed of travel of the item is related to the beam initation so that the beams arrive on the surface of the item at exactly the same point so that double printing occurs.

The device illustrated in Figures 7 to 12 is adapted for laser printing, though the laser generating unit is not illustrated. This would be housed within the cabinet formed by the base 10 and the computer control for this may be incorporated therein. Controls may be placed on the control panel 14 for regulation of the laser printer in association with the operation of the transfer device.

Other functions or operations such as cleaning, by brushing may be carried out instead of or in addition to printing.

Figure 5 shows the device of Figure 3 with additional or further drive units 23, 24 at the ends respectively. Each such further drive unit has driving connection to the respective ends of the belt 16 and is angled for example at 60 as shown to the length of the slot 17 within the device.

Adjacent to each further drive unit 23, 24 is a deflector plate 25, 26 spaced from the further drive unit belt by a distance approximating to the width of the slot 17. As shown in Figure 5, the device may be placed beside a conveyor belt indicated at 27, in such a position that the two further drive units 23, 24 extend out over that conveyor 27.

Items travelling along the conveyor 27 are diverted by the further drive unit 23 and its deflector plate 25 towards the transfer device. They are fed, in turn, into the inlet end of the slot and travel along the transfer device while undergoing a required operation such as the printing previously referred to. The items leave the transfer device and are returned to conveyor 27 by the further drive unit 24 under the guidance of the deflector plate 26 adjacent thereto.

Figure 6 shows a similar arrangement in which, however, the further drive unit 23 is arranged to collect items travelling along a first conveyor 28 and the further drive unit 24 delivers them to a second conveyor 29 running in parallel with the conveyor 28 but offset therefrom. The transfer unit can therefore be conveniently used to transfer items from one conveyor to another which may be at the same or different levels. In this arrangement shown in Figure 6, the further drive units are angled with respect to the length of the slot 17 of the main part of the transfer device, in opposite directions. Other combinations can also be adopted.

Referring to Figures 7 to 12, there is shown a transfer device which is particularly adapted for the printing of items such as small bottles or other containers, the printing being carried out either by ink printing or by laser printing techniques.

As seen in Figures 7 and 8, the base cabinet is made from sheet metal and has doors 31, 32 at the front and back respectively. The control panel 14 carries a control knob 33 connected to a control unit indicated at 34 which, in this example, is a thyristor control unit for the laser printing unit. An adjustable mounting 60 for the laser printer unit is provided at the approximate centre of the top of the device, as shown in Figure 9. On the top of the cabinet are mounted the two portions 11, 12 of the superstructure and these are carried on guides shown in Figure 11. The guides comprise bars 35, 36 mounted in pairs of trunnion bearings 37 fixed to a top plate 38 of the cabinet. Each portion 11, 12 has a downwardly extending bracket 39, 41 to which the respective bar 35, 36 is secured by means of a pin 42.The bars 35, 36 as seen in Figure 11, are provided also at the other end of the device so that each portion lli 12 is mounted on a pair of spaced guides. These are also seen in Figure 8.

To adjust the portions 11, 12 towards and away from one another there is a mechanism shown in Figure 7 including screwed rods 43, 44 secured together by a coupling 45. One end of the rod 43 is connected to a hand wheel 46 mounted in a bearing 47 which is fixed to the cabinet in a wall which is one vertical face of a recess defined in the top of the cabinet adjacent to the control panel 14. Engaged with the respective screwed rods, 43, 44 are members 48, 49 fixed to the respective portions 11, 12 of the superstructure. These members 48, 49 extend through slots in the top plate 38 of the cabinet. Rotation of the hand wheel 46 results in opposite movement of the members 48, 49 and therefore of the respective portions 11 and 12. The coupling 45 is supported from the top plate 38 by a bracket 50. The rod 44 carries an end stop.

As seen in Figures 8 and 9, in each of the portions 11 and 12 of the superstructure there is housed the main belt 15, 16, having parallel straight runs and driven over pulleys 51, 52, 53, 54. Idler pulleys 55, 56 mounted on adjustable plates 57, 58 are designed to regulate the tension in the belts.

Guide plates 59, 61 form the internal faces of the portions 11, 12 respectively and these are cut away so as to expose the straight runs of the belts 15, 16 which are presented towards one another. These straight runs are closer together than the guide plates 59, 61. The guide plates also have angled ends to facilitate entry and discharge of items to be handled by the transfer device.

Each belt 15, 16 is driven through separate belt drives 62, 63. These belts 62, 63 run over respective pairs of pulleys 64, 65, 66, 67. As seen in Figure 8, the belt drives are above the main belts 15, 16 and the pulleys 64, 66 are on the same vertical shafts 68, 69 as the pulleys 51, 53. The pulleys 65, 67 are mounted on vertical drive shafts 71,72 shown also in Figure 10. That figure shows the drive mechanism, for driving the two pulleys 65, 67 and thence the main belts 15 and 16.

The drive mechanism includes an electric motor 73, driving a gearbox 74. The gearbox 74 carries a pulley 76 on which runs a belt 77 driving a pulley 78 mounted on a shaft 79. The shafts 79 is the input shaft of a drive splitter unit 81 with one output shaft 82 which is coaxial with the input shaft 79 and another output shaft 71 which is that to which the pulley 65 is connected.

The splitter unit 81, as shown in Figure 10, is connected to another splitter unit 83 having an unused input shaft 84 a coaxial output shaft 85 and a right angle shaft 72 which is that on which the pulley 67 is mounted.

To allow sliding connection between the two output shafts 82, 85 of the two splitter units 81, 83, there is a coupling shown in Figure 10 which comprises an inner component 86, with two external longitudinal slots and another component 87 carrying two longitudinal keys engaging in the slots of the component 86. The components are thus axially slidably engaged together. This type of coupling is very short but accommodates axial change of length without interruption of drive. The electric motor therefore drives the gearbox which changes the drive to an axis perpendicular to the motor and may change the ratio of the speeds. The gearbox drives the belt 77 and interchanging of the sizes of the pulleys can again change the speed ratio. The belt 77 drives the two splitter units 81, 83 which in turn drive the pulleys 65, 67 to drive the main belts 15 and 16 as previously described.

In this example, the transfer device is intended for use with a laser printer unit as previously referred to and a control unit 88 for this is mounted on the cabinet. In the portions 11, 12 of the super structure, there are openings through which the laser beam transmitters can extend.

To guard the operator against injury, the superstructure carries a guard 89 which encloses the whole of the area in which the laser transmitters are housed. The guard may be shaped, as shown in part in Figure 7, to accommodate tall items passing through the transfer device and it is hinged at 91 to the top plate 38 of the cabinet. In order to provide a safety means preventing operation of the laser transmitters when the guard is raised from its normal position covering the laser zone, there is an adjustably mounted tail 92 on the guard adjacent to the hinge 91 which is also adjustable. The tail carries a switch contact 93 arranged to actuate a switch 94 housed within the top of the cabinet. The switch is connected in a circuit to the laser control unit 88.

The main belts 15, 16 have high frictional external surfaces to aid gripping of items as they pass through the device but in certain cases, it may be necessary to provide teeth on the external surfaces of the belts in order to provide positive grip at predetermined intervals along the belts.

Figure 13 shows the cabinet with two pairs of castors 96, 97, already referred to. These are mounted on screwed spindles and can therefore be lowered into contact with the ground or raised as shown. When lowered, the apparatus can be moved from place to place, but when it is to be used in a fixed position the castors 96 may be left in contact with the ground while the castors 97 are raised to a height which allows the foot 13 to rest on the ground.

Figures 14, 15 and 16 show, in greater detail, the device including further drive units 23, 24 as seen in Figure 5. Figure 15 shows the drive unit 23 and Figure 16 shows the drive unit 24.

As seen in Figure 14 the device itself is that which has already been described in relation to the other figures but in place of the belt 16 there is a longer belt 101 which extends into the two further drive units 23, 24. This belt 101 passes over the two pulleys 53, 54 at the ends of the main device but also extends over pulleys 102, 103 which are situated at the outer ends of the two further drive units 23, 24 respectively. The runs of the belts between pulleys 102, 53, 54 and 103 which are presented towards the belt 15 at the other side of the device represent the operative runs of the belt. The return run of the belt extends from pulley 103 to pulley 102 but passes over a pair of guide pulleys 104,105 which are positioned adjacent to but behind the pulleys 53 and 54.

Adjacent the operative runs of the belt 101 and extending along the length of the further drive units 23 and 24 respectively, are deflector plates 106, 107. Each of these has a curved outer end, and at its end nearest to the slot defined between the belts 15 and 101 of the device, the deflector plate is curved to facilitate entry of items to be conveyed into and out of the slot. The deflector plates 106, 107 can be adjusted to vary their spacings from the belt 101 by means of adjusting screws 108 of which two are provided for each deflector plate.

Figure 15 shows the means by which the pulleys of the further drive unit 23 are driven. The shaft 109 which carries the pulley 53 also carries a drive pulley 66 as seen in Figure 9 on which runs belt 63 forming the input drive as already described. Shaft 109 is extended downwards and carries another pulley 110. This in turn is engaged by a belt 111 running over a pulley 112 on a shaft 113. Tne upper end of this carries a pulley 114 engaged by a belt 115 which extends along the length of the further drive unit 23 to pass over a pulley 116 carried on a spindle 117, on which also the pulley 102 is carried. By this means the outer pulley 112 of the further drive unit 23 is positively driven. Furthermore, by changing the ratios it is possible to control the speed of drive of items along the further drive unit.The further drive unit 24 is shown without means for driving its outer pulley other than through the belt 101. The simple arrangement of its layout is seen in Figures 14 and 16.

Both the further drive units 23, 24 are detachable from the main device and Figures 15 and 16 show the connector plates 118, 119, 121, 122 by means of which they are secured to the main device using appropriate bolts. The connector plate 119 carries the drive system including the pulleys 110, 112 and the belt 111 which can be readily detached when the further drive unit 23 is not required.

Provision is made for the further drive units to be set at the angles shown in Figure 14 but they can also be mounted in the manner shown in Figure 6 where one of the further drive units extends in the opposite direction to the other.

In the mode shown in Figures 5 and 14, items passing along a conveyor 27 can be diverted by the drive unit 23 into the main device, in order that printing or other operations may be carried out, and are then returned by means of the further drive unit 24 onto the conveyor 27 again. As seen in Figure 6, the further drive units are used to remove items from a conveyor 28 and, with or without an intermediate operation, they are fed onto another parallel conveyor 29.

In an alternative construction, the belts forming the drive elements are replaced by a series of rollers. These are all driven in unison or most of them may be driven by a suitable drive system, such as a series of belts. The rollers of each set, at the two sides of the slot, may be driven, if required in the same or opposite directions and at the same or at different speeds. The rollers are mounted on respective parallel vertical or generally upright axes and are arranged close together in line, along the length of the slot, to form boundaries to the slot at the two opposite sides thereof. The rollers are coated with hard rubber or other high friction material. They may be cylindrical or, if particular types of items are being transferred, the rollers may be shaped to conform with these items. Long strips or bars may be handled conveniently in this way.

Printing or other processes may be carried out in the manner described in relation to the drawings.

Claims (22)

1. A transfer device comprising a base, a superstructure on the base, the superstructure having two portions defining an elongated transfer slot between them, the two portions of the superstructure containing respective drive elements capable, between them, of gripping items to be transferred whereby when said drive elements are actuated, the items are transferred from an entry end of the transfer slot to a delivery end thereof.

2. A transfer device as claimed in claim 1 in which the drive elements are belts which are mounted on pulleys with axes parallel to the vertical sides of the slot, the belts each having a run which forms part of a wall of the superstructure portion bounding the slot, whereby items are driven along the transfer slot by frictional contact with said belt runs.

3. A transfer device as claimed in claim 1 in which the drive elements comprise a series of rollers which are arranged with their axes parallel and in line lengthwise of the slot.

4. A transfer device as claimed in claim 3 in which all or most of the rollers are driven.

5. A transfer device as claimed in any one of claims 2, 3 or 4 wherein adjustment is possible between the two superstructure portions towards and away from one another to vary the slot width.

6. A transfer device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein means are provided whereby the speeds of the drive elements is variable.

7. A transfer device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein means are provided for driving the drive elements in the same or in opposite directions, and/or at the same or at different speeds respectively.

8. A transfer device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the device includes means for carrying out specific operations on items as they pass, in use, through the device.

9. A transfer device as claimed in claim 8 in which the means for carrying out operations in a printing device, whereby printing can be applied to the items as they pass through the device.

10. A transfer device as claimed in claim 9 in which the printing device is an ink printer.

11. A transfer device as claimed in claim 9 in which the printing device is a laser printer.

12. A transfer device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which a further drive unit is positioned adjacent to the inlet end or the outlet end of the main part of the device.

13. A transfer device as claimed in claim 12 in which the further drive unit is detachably connectable to the end of the device.

14. A transfer device as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13 in which the further drive unit is connectable in a position to extend at an angle with respect to the length of the transfer slot defined by the device.

15. A transfer device as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14 in which a further drive unit is positioned at each of the ends of the device, one serving to deliver items to the device and the other serving to transfer them away from the device.

16. A transfer device as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 13 wherein the further drive unit or each such unit includes at least one drive element.

17. A transfer device as claimed in claim 16 in which the drive element of the further drive unit is drivable from the device, through a drive system connected to the means for driving the said drive elements of the device.

18. A transfer device as claimed in either of claims 16 and 17 in which the or each further drive unit includes a drive element and a deflector plate extending generally parallel to the operative portion of the drive element, to define a slot between them.

19. A transfer device as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 18 in which the drive element of the or each further drive unit is positively driven through a system separate from but driven from the means for driving the drive elements of the device.

20. A transfer device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the device has wheels by means of which it can be moved from place to place.

21. A transfer device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 4 and 7 to 13 of the accompanying drawings.

22. A transfer device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 5 and 6 and 14 to 16 of the accompanying drawings.